Anouk Garnier breaks the world record for rope climbing under the Eiffel Tower

A WORLD RECORD
Her achievement is all the more extraordinary in that it set a new world record for both men and women. The previous men’s record had been held by the South African Thomas Van Tondre - 295.3 feet - and the women’s record by Danish athlete Ida Mathilde Steensgaard - 85.3 feet -.
And the idea of this challenge first came to Anouk when she heard about Steensgaard’s record, set near the Copenhagen Opera House in July 2022.
Right away, she knew that it would be at the Eiffel Tower and nowhere else.
Once Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) confirmed that such an endeavor was feasible from a technical and safety standpoint, she embarked on a Herculean training regimen and a relentless search for sponsors, to make her dream come true. 
 

“I had my share of ups and downs on the way to the record. The weather wasn’t always on my side and we had to coordinate the schedules of everyone involved in this monumental project. But I never stopped believing in it. So, the joy and satisfaction I feel today are all the greater. It’s a crazy dream come true, said an emotional Anouk Garnier , setting her foot on the esplanade after her feat. "

A MONUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
Rope climbing is a physically demanding sport for the entire body, using hands and arms, naturally, but legs and abdominal muscles too.
The challenge for Anouk today was to manage muscle fatigue and pain, especially in her hands, severely testing her physical and mental endurance.
Even though beating the clock was not the goal of the record, we can still congratulate Anouk on her ascent time of just 18 minutes.
She also had to prepare for a significant parameter: at 82 feet, it is no longer possible to lock your feet with the rope. It weighs so much that it exerts too much pressure on the athlete’s limbs.
A pulley system was therefore installed to reduce the rope’s weight (154 lbs in all) by pulling it up as she climbed.
And to ensure optimal safety conditions, Anouk wore a harness and was attached to a safety line. A team of 5 height safety professionals (4 in the tower and 1 on the ground) ensured the ascent went smoothly.

“ We’re delighted to welcome Anouk Garnier this morning at the Eiffel Tower, for this incredible record she’s set climbing a rope between the ground and the second floor. The tower – in itself a major technical feat of its time – is a tremendous arena that’s seen a great number challenges come to life over 135 years. This year, as the whole of Paris is celebrating sports, another challenge has been achieved with brio, adding to the list ,and we are proud to honor women’s sports and striving to surpass oneself. Bravo, Anouk!”, said Jean-François Martins, Chairman of Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE).

THE EIFFEL TOWER 135 YEARS OF SPORTING FEATS
With its height and iconic status, The Eiffel Tower has inspired numerous athletic feats and performances.
We can cite Taïg Khris who broke the world record for a jump on roller blades in 2010 with a 41-foot descent from the first floor.
And more recently, in 2021, Nathan Paulin’s walking across a slackline between the Tower and the Palais de Chaillot.
Anouk Garnier will go down in history as the first woman to achieve an athletic feat of this magnitude at the Eiffel Tower. 
In 2024, as the whole of France celebrates sports, this record caps off the exhibition “A larger-than-life arena”, on display on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower from February through early April, looking back at 135 years of sporting feats that have marked the history of the monument.

STREET ART ENTERS THE PICTURE 
Throughout Anouk Garnier’s feat, French street artist Jo Di Bona, who is also an ambassador of the Paris 2024 volunteer program, created a fresco capturing this historic moment for posterity.
Set up between the South and East pillars, he had to work under pressure to finish his work at the exact moment Anouk completed her ascension –
a major challenge for him too!